The present invention relates generally to the field of chemical treatment devices for swimming pools, and, more particularly, to a new swimming pool treatment device which effectively provides a system for selective, simultaneous dispensing of one or more chemicals from the same device.
Previously, various swimming pool treatment devices have been known for adding chemicals, such as chlorine, to the swimming pool water to prevent growth of algae and bacteria therein. One such type of known devices is the "in-line" variety, characterized by being adapted for placement in the stream of water which is caused to move by the pool's circulating system. A recent example of this type of device is featured in U.S. Pat. No. 5,124,032, by the inventor herein and is formed for treating the pool's water with a single chemical, such as, for example, chlorine. The teachings of this patent are incorporated herein by reference. The patented device is positioned in the stream of circulating water which enters the device and carries dissolved chemical out of the container portion of the device and into the pool as the water exits through small holes formed by snapping off protrusions on the wall of the chemical containing portion.
Other devices float freely in the pool, rather than being placed directly in the flow of circulating water. However, in the usual case, regardless of the type of apparatus used for introducing the substance into the pool, only one particular chemical could be shipped and stored in any one particular treatment device because direct contact of certain chemicals often used for pool water treatment can interact with undesirable results, such as explosion. Thus, careful separation of the chemicals during storage, shipping and use has always been the rule. However, such provisions for shipping and storage of chemicals is ultimately messy, inconvenient and potentially dangerous because at some point smaller amounts must be made available to the consumer for private use and thus small useful amounts must be separated from the bulk, requiring handling and sometimes repackaging. Ideally, it is desirable for such chemicals to be packaged, shipped and sold in amounts and combinations which are convenient for immediate, facile private use.
There are a number of important advantages in the new unit as proposed. Among others, it could be used in either a new floating configuration or in connection with a skimmer or circulation system, as well as being possibly mounted at the pool edge. Further, from the user's perspective, it is a "one-step" solution to taking care of a swimming pool, in that the user does not have to ascertain the relative proportions of chemicals in advance, but can be assured instead that when the new unit is put into the water, it will dose the three different chemicals (or two different chemicals, four different chemicals, etc.) in the proper amounts based on the size of a swimming pool.
Also, when the unit is depleted, it is simply discarded and a new one is placed in use, with relative assurance that the chemicals will be released in the proportion predetermined to be efficacious for a given size of pool.
There are also the advantages that the chemicals needed for proper pool care are all available for distribution in a single unit, whereby the swimming pool owner/operator can be assured that proper pool care will be obtained by the use of just a single unit, and with relative precision as well as economy in the release of the different chemicals. Manifestly, the ability to have a single unit for dosing the swimming pool with the required chemicals eliminates a great deal of fuss and bother, as well as need for great care in providing different chemicals, which heretofore has been required for pool owners. There are various marketing advantages as well.
Accordingly, it is among the several objects of the present invention to provide a device for chlorinating or otherwise chemically treating swimming pool water, which is adapted for safe storage and selective addition of one or more chemicals to the pool water by the same device, separately, or simultaneously, if desired.
It is further among the objects of the invention having the features indicated that subject device be suitable for inexpensive, facile manufacture from a readily available substance which is suitable for storage and dispensing of a number of different kinds of chemicals.
It is also among the objects of the present invention that subject device be capable of easy, safe use by individual consumers with a minimum of instruction.
It is still further among the objects of the present invention that the new swimming pool chlorinator, having the features mentioned, be capable of use in either of the free-floating or in-line fashions.
Accordingly, in furtherance of the above objects, the present invention is, briefly, a swimming pool treatment device for simultaneous introduction of at least two separately stored chemicals into the water of a swimming pool. The treatment device includes an enclosed, selectively openable first hollow body portion for containing and dispensing a first chemical into the swimming pool water. At least a second enclosed, selectively openable hollow body portion is also included for containing and dispensing at least a second chemical into the swimming pool water. The first hollow body portion and the at least a second hollow body portion are selectively detachably interengaged with one another. The hollow body portions are selectively detachably interengaged with one another, to thereby permit simultaneous introduction of at least two separately stored chemicals into the water of the swimming pool.
The present invention is also, briefly, a system for chemical treatment of the water in a swimming pool. The system has a plurality of selectively detachable interengaged sealed containers forming one unitary device. Each of the sealed containers has a water treatment chemical composition enclosed therein for shipping and storage. The chemical compositions in the respective compartments are prevented by the enclosure of the respective compartment from mixing with the chemical composition of any other compartment. Each of the sealed containers is adapted for forming apertures therethrough to permit entrance and exit of water so that the water treatment chemical within the respective container can be dissolved and dispensed into the swimming pool water simultaneously from two or more of the plurality of selectively detachable interengaged sealed containers.
At least two of the above plurality of selectively detachable interengaged sealed containers have matching interengaging portions so that their relative positions in the system may be altered and so that at least one of the sealed containers may be completely removed from the system while permitting the remaining sealed containers to still be selectively detachably interengaged.
The at least two interengaged sealed containers having different volumes for the respective chemical compositions are adjacent to one another and have volumes which diminish from an upper sealed container to an adjacent lower sealed container, whereby a sealed container containing a greater volume of its chemical composition will be located above a sealed container containing a lesser volume of its chemical composition.
Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinbelow.